Promotion of Mouse Ameloblast Proliferation by Lgr5 Mediated Integrin Signaling

The study explored the impact of CD61, also known as integrin β3, on the proliferation of mouse ameloblasts, which are cells responsible for tooth development. Researchers discovered that 8-week-old mice without CD61 had significantly shorter lower incisors and reduced expression of genes linked to cell proliferation and stem cell maintenance, such as Fgfr2, Lgr5, and Notch1. In vitro experiments showed that suppressing CD61 in a pre-ameloblastic cell line decreased cell proliferation and Lgr5 expression. Additionally, inhibiting Lgr5 also reduced cell proliferation, indicating that CD61 signaling is crucial for the growth of the cervical loop and for stimulating pre-ameloblastic cell proliferation via Lgr5. The study did not mention the number of mice used, which is important for assessing the strength of the study.